Ball return rack



Jan. 28, 1964 R. l. ANDERSON- BALL RETURN RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1960 I INVENTOR: ia ff v21 almu /zam Jan. 28, 1964 R. 1. ANDERSON BALL RETURN RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1960 656 v4 (ZZZZEEW United States Patent 3,119,615 BALL RETURN RACK Robert I. Anderson, Muskegon, Micln, assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a c0rp0ration of Delaware Filed June 9, 1960, Ser. No. 35,002 Claims. (Cl. 273-47) This invention relates to storage racks for bowling balls and particularly to a storage rack for holding a plurality of balls in a cluster arrangement so that each of the balls on the rack is easily reached for removal by a player rather than being arranged in line one behind the other on a straight rack.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a new and improved rack of the type described providing for compact storage of a plurality of bowling balls.

Another object is to provide a new and improved ball storage rack of the type described including an entrance track, divergent tracks joined to the end of the entrance track, a splitter or divider at the juncture of the diverging tracks for directing balls to one or the other of the divergent tracks, and a gradually rising rib in the entrance track for directing balls to one side or the other of the splitter, so that by law of averages approximately half of the balls traveling along the entrance track will pass into one of the divergent tracks and approximately half of the balls into the other of the divergent tracks.

Another object is to provide a new and improved ball storage rack of the character mentioned, including a ball stop member in each of the divergent tracks selectively movable from an operative position for blocking the pas sage of balls along the divergent track to a retracted inoperative non-blocking position permitting passage of balls along the track, so that when the rack is being utilized by only a limited number of bowlers, the limited number of balls in use may be restricted to the area of the rack in the vicinity of the juncture of the divergent tracks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved rack of the type described wherein the storage portions of the rack are generally triangularly arranged and include divergent tracks as described and a transverse track connecting ends of the divergent tracks.

Another object is to provide a new and improved ball storage rack of the character mentioned in the preceding paragraph, including a bump or hump in the transverse track approximately mid-way between the ends thereof for preventing balls rolling from one end of the transverse track to the other end of the transverse track, so that when the rack is substantially filled with balls and a ball is removed from one end of the transverse track, balls will not roll from the opposite end to the end from which a ball has been removed.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a ball storage rack embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the rack illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken at approximately the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken 3,119,615 Patented Jan. 28, 1964 at about the line 44 of FIG. 2, illustrating a selectively operable ball stop member in one of the divergent track portions of the rack;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional -view taken at about the line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, in a preferred form a rack 10 embodying the principles of the present invention is utilized in connection with a subway ball return system for returning balls from the pit end of the alleys to the bowlers end of the alleys where the storage rack will be conveniently positioned adjacent the approach to the foul lines. A subway ball return system of the character mentioned preferably includes tracks which are disposed beneath the surface of the alleys in the vicinity of the foul line for delivering balls to a power lift mechanism illustrated generally at 11 for elevating the balls from the subway track to the storage rack. The power lift mechanism preferably includes an attractive cover or hood as at 12 for enclosing the elevating means which would provide an unsightly appearance.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the rack 10 preferably comprises a sheet metal stamping 15 (FIG. 2) which is somewhat triangularly shaped at the left-hand portion of FIG. 2 and includes a handle shaped portion at the right of FIG. 2. The stamping 15 is formed with an elongate groove or depression as at 16 providing an entrance track portion, divergent grooves or depressions as at 17 providing divergent track portions joined to the end of the track portion 16, and a transverse or cross groove or depression at 18 connecting opposite ends of the divergent grooves. It will be understood that the entrance portion 16 and the divergent portions 17 are generally Y-shaped, while the portions 17 and 18 are generally triangularly shaped, though somewhat curved in order to provide for convenient passage of the balls and attractive appearance.

Herein, the track portion 16 is referred to as an entrance track, and the portions 17 and 18 referred to as storage racks, but it should be understood that if the portions 17 and 18 are filled with balls, the latter may collect in the entrance portion 16, particularly in the vicinity of the juncture of the portion 16 with the portions 17. In a preferred embodiment, approximately eight balls may be stored in the track portions 17 and 18, with a ninth ball at the juncture of the tracks 17 with the track 16, and a tenth ball in the track 16 immediately adjacent to its juncture with the track portions 17. The ball sup porting portions of the tracks 16, 17 and 18 are substantially level and horizontally disposed. Balls delivered at a high rate of speed to the power lift mechanism 11 are elevated by the lift mechanism and delivered therefrom at a controlled rate of speed sufficient to provide for movement of the balls to the remote positions of the rack relative to the lift mechanism.

The stamping 15, at the triangular portion visible at the left in FIG. 2 is provided with a centrally disposed opening therethrough as at 20 (FIG. and surrounding the opening, an inwardly turned substantially horizontal flange 21 which is utilized in supporting the stamping. Similarly, around the outside of the track portions, the stamping is provided with an outwardly turned flange as at 22 and a finishing flange as at 21. The stamping 15 is supported on a base in the form of a large casting as at 25 which includes a pedestal as at 26 for support on a floor or the like. The stamping 15 is preferably secured to the casting as by means of screws 27 (FIG. 5) affixing the flanges 21 and 22 to bosses as at 29 provided in the casting 25. Around the outside, a gasket may be provided between the stamping 15 and the casting 25 as illustrated at 30 in FIG. 5. Around the outside of the track portions 17 and 18, these areas are preferably trimmed with a bumper of plastic or rubber material as at 32, and around the inner edges of the track portions 17 and 18 a bumper of similar material is provided as at 33.

The central area between the track portions 17 and 18 is in the form of a generally triangular or heart-shaped island provided by a cover plate suitably supported on the inwardly turned flange 21 of the stamping 15.

In order to provide for movement of the balls from the entrance portion 16 into one or the other of the storage portions 17, a splitter or divider 37 is provided at the juncture of the tracks 17 with the track 16. The splitter preferably comprises a ski-shaped member of suitable material having a base portion 38 secured to the stamping 15, an upwardly curved tapering end portion 39 and a beveled projection as at 40' providing a beveled edge 41 inclined upwardly and toward the island 35 and disposed opposite and facing the centerline of the entrance track portion 16. It will be appreciated that as the balls roll along the entrance track portion 16 and contact the beveled edge 41, they will be deflected into one or the other of the storage portions 17.

If the splitter 37 is used alone for directing the balls into one or the other of the divergent track portions 17, it will be appreciated that most bails upon engaging the beveled edge 41 wiil have more or less weight disposed to one side or the other of the beveled edge and will therefore be deflected into one or the other of the tracks 17. However, it is entirely possible to have a ball roll along the track portion 16 and engage the beveled edge 41 with substantially equal masses on opposite sides of the beveled edge so that the ball will attempt to climb the beveled edge which results in a bumpy and noisy transition of the ball from the entrance portion 16 into one of the divergent portions 17, rather than providing in all instances a smooth transition into one of the divergent tracks.

In order to assure a smooth passage of the balls from the entrance portion 16 into one of the storage portions 17, a plate 45 is positioned in the entrance track 16 and suitably secured to the stamping 15. The plate 45 is an elongate member having a substantially flat major portion as at 46, but including at opposite edges raised ribs as at 47 which are spaced apart less than the diameter of a bowling ball and provide a pair of track members along which a ball rolls from the power lift mechanism 11 toward the storage portions of the rack. Centrally disposed between the track members 47 there is an elongated n'b as at 48 of tapering height, which gradually rises from approximately the mid-portion of the plate 45, as at 49, to \an elevated terminus as at adjacent to the splitter 37. The beveled rib 48 rises sufliciently between the ends 49 and 50 to engage the bottom of a bail rolling along the track members 47 to gradually and smoothly deflect the ball with a subtle action toward one side or the other of the rib and hence toward one side or the other of the beveled edge 41, which is aligned with the rib 48. To facilitate this gradual deflection, the track portion 16 is gradually widened as at 16a before it joins with the divergent track portions 17. The combined effect of the rib 48 and the beveled edge 41 assures a smooth passage of the balls from the track portion 16 to one or the other of the track portions 17.

It will be understood that by the law of averages, approximately half the balls will be deflected into one of the divergent track portions 17 and approximately half will be deflected into the other track portion 17 so that the rack will be filled evenly from both sides, and the chances are enhanced that by the time a bowlers turn to bowl comes up, his ball will have progressed to the transverse track portion 18 and will be readily accessible to the bowler as he approaches the crack regardless of the side of the rack on which he may be next required to bowl. This is in comparison to an arrangement where, due to faulty installation or wear or partial breakdown, most of the balls would enter one of the divergent tracks or the other, and the rack would fill from one of these only and have to travel substantially the complete triangular circuit as the rack fills.

The stamping 15, at the mid-portion of the transverse groove 18, is provided with an upwardly projecting deformation in the form of a bump or hump as at for dividing opposite ends of the track portion 18 into separate bail storage areas. The hump is of relatively slight proportions vertically so that if desired, balls may be readily moved along the track 18 from one end thereof to the other. However, the hump is sufficiently pronounced to prevent balls from rolling from one end of the track 18 to the other in normal use of the storage rack. That is, if the track 18 is filled and contains approximately four balls, two at each side of the center of the hump 55, and one or both of the balls at one side of the hump are removed, the balls at the other side of the hump will not roll to the side from which the balls were taken. Instead, the vacant areas in the track 18 must be filled by balls moving from the adjacent track portion 17. In this manner, progress of balls from the entrance portion 16 to the transverse portion 18 is assured, and the chances are enhanced that by the time a bowlers turn to bowl comes after his previous use of a ball, his particular ball will be disposed in the transverse track portion 18 so as to be readily available when the bowler approaches the storage rack from the seating area which will normally be to the left of the storage rack as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. The proportions of the hump 55 are best illustrated by the sectional views of FIGS. 5 and 6, which are taken at right angles to each other.

As explained hereinabove, the rack disclosed is intended for holding substantialy an entire complement of ten balls which are used when two teams of five bowlers each are competing. Obviously, there are times other than the periods for team competition when individual bowlers or pairs of bowlers would use the alleys in the immediate vicinity of the storage rack. In this case, a single ball or only a pair of balls would not fill the rack and would not necessarily progress to the readily accessible transverse portion 18, but instead might come to rest at almost any position within the triangular storage area 17, 18. In order to reduce the inaccessibility of balls on such occasions, each of the divergent track portions 17 is provided with a ball stop member 57, selectively movable from a retracted position flush with the surface of the track 17, wherein the stop member is inoperative or non-blocking, to an operative position illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 4 for blocking the passage of balls along the track portion 17.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, each of the stop members 57 comprises a somewhat pie-shaped member pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin 58 to move through an opening 59 in the stamping 15. The pivot pin 59 is supported at each end on a bearing member as at 69 and retained thereon as by means of a strap 61, the bearing member being supported as by pedestals 63 provided on the casting 25. When the ball stop member is positioned in the retracted non-blocking disposition as illustrated in full lines at FIG. 4, the upper edge of the member as at 65 is substantially flush with the adjacent area of the stamping 15. In order to facilitate manual positioning of the stop member in an operative blocking position, the member is formed with a finger opening as at 66 by which the member may be grasped for movement to the operative blocking position. In the blocking position, the stop member may be releasably retained as by means of a spring 68 attached to the stop member as at 69 and including a portion 70 engageable with the inner bumper 33. As the stop member is moved toward a blocking position, in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4, the main portion of the spring 68 is cammed by the edge of the stamping 15 adjacent the opening 55 to allow the spring to pass outwardly of the opening. When the stop member is fully positioned in blocking position, the spring 68 is outside of the opening 59 while the terminal portion 71 of the stop member engages the underside of the stamping 15 so that the stop member is releasably latched in blocking position. When the stop member is positioned as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 4, it is held in the non-blocking position illustrated by engagement of a stop member or bumper 73 with the underside of the stamping 15.

The stop members 57 are preferably each positioned at a distance along the divergent tracks 17 from the juncture of such tracks so as to permit the storage of only a single ball in each of the track portions 17.

I claim:

1. A ball storage rack, comprising, in combination, an entrance track, divergent storage tracks joined to the end of the entrance track, a beveled splitter at the juncture of the divergent tracks for directing balls into one or the other of the divergent tracks, and a central rib along the entrance track elongated relative to the splitter and having an upwardly directed edge gradually rising toward the splitter relative to the entrance track and laterally oppositely directed surface portions disposed alongside said edge for directing balls to one side or the other of the splitter before the balls reach the splitter.

2. A ball storage rack, comprising, in combination, an entrance track, divergent storage tracks joined to the end of the entrance track to receive balls therefrom, an island between the divergent tracks, a splitter on the island at the juncture of the divergent tracks opposite the entrance track, inclined upwardly away from the entrance track and bevelled toward the entrance track to an edge for directing balls into one or the other of the divergent tracks, and a bevelled rib along the center of the entrance track elongated relative to the splitter and having an upwardly directed edge gradually rising toward the juncture of the divergent tracks relative to the entrance track for directing balls to one side or the other of the splitter before the balls reach the splitter.

3. A rack for storing bowling balls in a cluster, comprising, in combination, a support having an entrance groove providing an entrance track and generally triangularly arranged grooves including divergent grooves joined to the end of the entrance groove and a transverse groove connecting the ends of the divergent grooves thereby providing corresponding divergent and transverse generally triangularly arranged storage tracks, means providing a pair of parallel raised track members in the entrance track along which balls roll, means providing a bevelled edge at the juncture of the divergent tracks inclined upwardly and away from the entrance track for directing balls into one or the other of the divergent tracks, and means providing an elongate rib along the center of the entrance track spaced from and gradually rising toward the bevelled edge between the track members thereby providing a third track member so that balls progressing V 6 along the entrance track are directed to one side or the other of the bevelled edge whereby approximately half the balls from the entrance track are directed to one divergent track and half to the other.

4. A rack for storing bowling balls as defined in claim 3, wherein said transverse groove has a raised portion in the bottom thereof midway between the ends thereof providing a hump preventing balls rolling from one end of the groove to the other under impetus received in normal use of the rack but permitting the balls to be manually pushed along the groove over the hump.

5. A rack for storing bowling balls as defined in claim 3, including a ball stop member pivotally mounted on said support beneath each divergent track and selectively movable in an opening through the track from a retracted position flush with the surface of the track to an extended position blocking passage of balls along the track, and means exclusive of balls on the rack for releasably retaining each stop member in extended position.

6. A ball storage rack, comprising, in combination, an entrance track, divergent storage tracks joined to the end of the entrance track to receive balls therefrom, a ball stop member associated with at least one of the divergent tracks and separate therefrom, support means, means pivotally mounting the stop member on the support means for movement transversely of said one track selectively between an extended operative position in the path of balls on said one divergent track for stopping balls entering the divergent track without disturbing the track and a retracted inoperative position out of the path of balls on said one divergent track allowing balls to pass along the divergent track, and cooperating means on the support means and the ball stop member for retaining the stop member releasably in each position.

7. A ball storage rack, comprising in combination, an entrance track, generally triangularly arranged storage tracks including divergent (tracks joined to the end of the entrance track to receive balls therefrom and a cross track connecting ends of the divergent tracks, each of said divergent tracks being of a length to store a plurality of balls, a ball stop member associated with each divergent track and separate therefrom, support means associated with each divergent track, means pivotally mounting each stop member on its associated support means against adjustment longitudinally of the track and for pivotal movement transversely of the track about a horizontal axis selectively between an inoperative lower position out of the path of balls on the associated track permitting balls to pass along :the track and an upper operative position in the path of balls on the associated track for blocking the passage of balls along the track without disturbing the track, each of said stop members being spaced from the juncture of the divergent tracks by an amount sufiicient to store only one ball in each divergent track, and cooperating means on each ball stop member and its associated support means for releasably retaining the member in each position.

8. A ball storage rack, comprising in combination, an entrance track, branching storage tracks joined to the end of the entrance track to receive balls therefrom, a cross track connecting ends of the branching tracks, and means providing a slight gradually rising hump in the path of balls on the cross track of sufficient height to prevent movement of balls from either end of the cross track to the other under impetus received in normal delivery to the rack but sufficiently low that balls may be manually pushed along the cross track over the hump.

9. In a bowling ball storage rack, in combination, means providing a track for receiving rolling bowling balls and storing the same, a ball stop member associated with the storage track intermediate opposite ends thereof and separate therefrom, support means, means mounting the stop member on the support means for movement transversely of the track selectively between an extended 7 operative position in the path of balls on the track for stopping the balls without disturbing the track and a retracted inoperative position out of the path of balls on the track allowing balls to pass therealong, and cooperating means on the support means and the ball stop member 5 for retaining the stop member releasably in operative position.

10. A combination as defined in claim 8 wherein said cross track has a length adapted to accommodate an even number of balls and said hump is located midway between 10 the ends of the cross track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

9. IN A BOWLING BALL STORAGE RACK, IN COMBINATION, MEANS PROVIDING A TRACK FOR RECEIVING ROLLING BOWLING BALLS AND STORING THE SAME, A BALL STOP MEMBER ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORAGE TRACK INTERMEDIATE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF AND SEPARATE THEREFROM, SUPPORT MEANS, MEANS MOUNTING THE STOP MEMBER ON THE SUPPORT MEANS FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRACK SELECTIVELY BETWEEN AN EXTENDED OPERATIVE POSITION IN THE PATH OF BALLS ON THE TRACK FOR STOPPING THE BALLS WITHOUT DISTURBING THE TRACK AND A RETRACTED INOPERATIVE POSITION OUT OF THE PATH OF BALLS ON THE TRACK ALLOWING BALLS TO PASS THEREALONG, AND COOPERATING MEANS ON THE SUPPORT MEANS AND THE BALL STOP MEMBER FOR RETAINING THE STOP MEMBER RELEASABLY IN OPERATIVE POSITION. 